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THE MEDIA AFRICA ANNUAL_digital

34 Southern Africa
Botswana – A diamond
in the rough
A thriving economy is allowing for a diversity of media outlets with significant adspend.
With a population of
just over 2 million and
a robust economy
dominated by
mining, tourism and
cattle, the landlocked Republic of
Botswana is one of the continent’s
richest nations.
Alarmingly, once regarded as
the global model of democracy,
press freedom has now become
a contentious issue, with editorial
independence in both state and
private media compromised,
according to a 2015 Freedom House
report.
Botswana boasts a thriving print
sector, with a range of independent
newspapers and magazines
published in the capital. The
widest-circulated newspaper, the
state-owned Daily News – printed
in English and Setswana, the two
official languages – is free and is
the only newspaper available in
rural areas. Among the 13 private
newspapers, Mmegi is the only
other daily, owned by the largest
and most influential private media
company in the country.
Most newspapers are mainly
accessible in Gaborone, but are
also readily available online. The
most popular include Bots247,
Botswana Guardian, Echo, Midweek
Sun and The Monitor. Newer
publications include the Global Post
(in Chinese and English) and the
Telegraph.
Local magazines include a
fair range of lifestyle, trade and
specialist, such as the environmental
mag Wena, Hotel and Tourism,
Lapologa for the youth market,
and the state-published Kutlwano.
Official figures for print media have
been unavailable since 2009.
The state dominates broadcast
media. Botswana Television (Btv)
broadcasts nationwide and is
also accessible in the Southern
African region. The private
e-Botswana (formerly the Gaborone
Broadcasting Corporation TV) has
limited reach, though pay television
is accessible through DStv, and
free-to-air channels via satellite
decoders such as Philibao. Btv is
the popular choice for Batswana,
with 30% preferring to watch
SABC channels and less than 10%
preferring subscription channels.
Of the five radio stations, three
are private: YaRona FM, Gabz FM,
Duma FM. Radio Botswana 1 and 2
are government-owned, the latter
being a commercial station. All
stations broadcast countrywide,
with reception difficulties in outlying
areas, although some stations have
begun streaming their content
online. Interestingly, community
media is barred by legislation.
Internet access is rare outside
cities, the costs unaffordable for
many. According to the African
Barometer Report, an estimated
“Mobile connections
have become virtually
ubiquitous in Botswana,
where the number of
consumers with more
than one cellular
connection is so high
that penetration is
already either over or
very close to 100%.”
– LYN Jones
THEMEDIA AFRICA ANNUAL 2016